5 Simple Changes For A Healthier Freshwater Aquarium

[00:00:03] Welcome to this episode of The Aquarist's Edge, a podcast for home aquarists just like you. Learn more about how to keep a thriving aquarium and discover ideas and tips to give your aquarium the edge. And now, over to our host, Arthur Preston. I think it's true to say that most of us who are freshwater aquarists simply want healthier fish and aquatic inhabitants in our tanks

[00:00:28] and more stable aquariums without making the hobby unnecessarily complicated. And so today, in this episode of The Aquarist's Edge, I want to look at 5 simple adjustments that can improve almost any freshwater aquarium. These aren't expensive upgrades. You're not going to need to replace your filter or redesign the tank or buy a whole bunch of different additives to add into the water. We're going to focus on feeding, lighting, circulation, water changes and observation.

[00:00:57] And each of these adjustments is easy to make, but together they can reduce algae, improve water quality and help you spot problems earlier. And as you listen, think about which one may have slipped in your own aquarium. Let me know in the comments which adjustments you plan to make first. So let's start by one that's really easy for every one of us to do, and that is to reduce excess food. We want to make sure that we're feeding a little bit less and make sure that the food reaches the correct fish.

[00:01:27] My overfeeding doesn't always mean piles of uneaten flakes or pellets on the substrate. Even food that is eaten eventually becomes waste. More food means more fish waste, more pressure on the filter and faster nitrate accumulation. So instead of shaking food directly from the container, measure a small portion first. Feed part of it, watch the fish and only add more if necessary. Most active community fish should collect their food fairly quickly.

[00:01:54] Large amounts shouldn't drift behind plants or disappearance of the substrate. However, don't just use the feeding speed as your only guide. Corridoras, coolie loaches and other bottom drilling fish still need suitable sinking food. And shy fish may also struggle if faster fish dominate the feeding area. The solution is usually better food distribution, not simply adding more. Feed active fish at one end of the aquarium, then place sinking food in another area.

[00:02:23] This will give the slower fish a fair chance without increasing the total portion. Also check the size of the food. Large pellets offered to small fish often break apart and become waste. A useful starting adjustment is to reduce your normal portion by about 10% for one week. Watch the fish's body condition and behaviour. Healthy fish should remain active and maintain a normal shape for their species. Now, don't starve your fish. The goal is simply to stop adding food that the aquarium doesn't need.

[00:02:51] Ask yourself one question during every feeding. Did every fish eat and where did the remaining food go? And that question alone can improve your water quality. Also remember that you don't need to feed your fish every day. For some people this is contentious. For many people it is just the way that they manage their aquariums. The episode I did on this is by far, by quite some margin, the most watched video on the YouTube channel. And the podcast episode of the podcast app has also garnered a lot of attention.

[00:03:21] So I'm going to put a link to that. You're welcome to have a listen to that as well. And it all goes back to the same goal, not to overfeed your fish and to keep your aquatic inhabitants healthy. Secondly, it's a good idea to place your aquarium light on a timer. Inconsistent or excessive lighting is one of the most common causes of persistent algae. For many low-tech plasted aquariums, a lighting period of around 6 to 8 hours per day is a sensible starting point.

[00:03:49] Now that's not a rule for every aquarium, but it's usually enough for undemanding plants such as Anubias, Javafern, Cryptochorin and many other mosses. If your lights are running for 10, 12 or even 14 hours, reduce the period gradually. Cut 30 to 60 minutes and observe the aquarium for at least a week before making another change. Avoid change in the intensity, color settings and lighting duration at the same time. You don't know which adjustment will produce the result. Also consider natural light.

[00:04:17] An aquarium near a bright window may receive several hours of light before the aquarium unit switches on. Your timer may say 7 hours, but the tank may effectively be receiving a lot more. Lighting must also suit the fish. Some species become nervous in bright exposed aquariums, so floating plants, taller plants and shaded areas will give the fish somewhere to retreat. A good lighting schedule should support plant growth, allowing you to enjoy the aquarium but still providing a clear period of darkness.

[00:04:47] The goal isn't maximum light. The goal is enough light. The third adjustment to make is to improve the movement of the water. Look at the surface of your aquarium. Is there a gentle ripple or is the water almost completely still? Surface movement improves gas exchange, helping oxygen enter the water and allowing carbon dioxide to leave. You don't need violent splashing. A steady ripple across part of the surface is usually enough for an all freshwater community aquarium. You could try angling the filter out of it slightly upward.

[00:05:17] A small change in direction may improve oxygenation without requiring additional equipment. Air stones can also help, especially during hot weather, medication or periods of oxygen stress. Remember that warm water holds less oxygen than cooler water, so pay extra attention during summer. If your fish are gathering near the surface, breathing rapidly or staying close to the filter outlet, check the following immediately. Is the filter running? Has the flow weakened? Is the temperature unusually high?

[00:05:45] Are ammonia or nitrite detectable? Has carbon dioxide been overdosed in a plaster aquarium? Then look at the rest of the tank. Does debris always collect behind the same piece of wood or in the same corner? That may indicate a circulation dead spot. And so before buying a stronger filter, try adjusting the outlet direction, moving the intake or trimming plants without blocking flow. Also check the filter intake regularly. Leaves and debris can reduce the flow slowly, making the problem difficult to notice.

[00:06:14] And remember that we don't need to replace all the media at once unless it is physically deteriorated to a point that it can no longer work. The aim is to restore flow without stripping away the biological stability of the filter. A fourth adjustment is to make water changes regular, rather than waiting for the aquarium to look dirty. Always bear in mind that clear water is not always clean water. Nitrates and other dissolved waste can accumulate without changing the appearance of the aquarium.

[00:06:42] For many established community tanks, changing around 20 to 30% each week is a practical starting routine. Heavily stocked tanks, growing fish in aquariums with large messy species may need more. Lightly stocked planted tanks may require less. Use water testing and observation to adjust the routine. Remember that topping up evaporation is not a water change. When water evaporates, nitrates and minerals remain behind.

[00:07:09] Adding new water restores the level, but it doesn't remove accumulated waste. During a water change, treat tap water with an appropriate conditioner. Bring the new water close to the aquarium temperature if you can. Remove visible waste and decaying plant material. Avoid aggressively cleaning every part of the aquarium at once. In gravel aquariums, use a gravel vacuum to clean areas where debris collects. In planted tanks or aquariums with fine sand, hover the siphon above the surface instead of digging deeply around the roots of the plant.

[00:07:40] Water change day is also a good time to inspect equipment. Check the heater, the filter intake, the airline tubing and aquarium seals. After refilling, confirm that the filter and the heater have restarted correctly. A regular, moderate water change is usually safer and easier than skipping maintenance and attempting a massive correction later. Choose a day that suits your schedule and make it part of your routine. Consistency is more valuable than finding a supposedly perfect percentage.

[00:08:09] Don't chase the numbers. The final adjustment is to spend a few minutes observing the aquarium before feeding, cleaning or adding medication. And again, I say this often on this podcast. This has been one of my soapbox topics since day one. Then, spend time in observation. Acuras often notice illness only after the symptoms become obvious. Regular observation helps you detect smaller changes. Watch how the fish breathe. Look at their swimming posture.

[00:08:37] Check whether fins are open or clamped. Notice where the schooling fish are behaving normally. Look for those fish that are hiding, losing weight or being prevented from feeding. And inspect the fish for damage on their fins, spots, excess mucus or unusual swelling. Now remember that one unusual behaviour doesn't automatically identify a disease. Rapid breathing, for example, could be caused by low oxygen, ammonia, nitrite, high temperature, gill irritation or excessive carbon dioxide.

[00:09:05] So before medicating, check the water and your equipment. Test ammonia and the nitrite. Check the temperature. Make sure the filter is working. Review anything that has recently been changed. Was the new fish added? Was the filter cleaned? Did the power fail? Was a large amount of food added? Did something die behind the hardscan? Medication is not going to fix poor water quality or failed equipment. So randomly combining treatments can also add more stress.

[00:09:32] Observe first, test second and then choose an action that matches the evidence. Plants can also provide early warnings. Look for new growth, deteriorating leaves and increasing levels. Before adding more fertiliser, confirm that the lighting and circulation are still consistent. If you want to, and it will be helpful to you, keep a simple aquarium logbook that contains water change dates, test results, new livestock and any unusual behaviour. You don't need complicated software.

[00:10:02] Of course, if you've got software that does this, you're welcome to use it. There are apps and so on available. And there certainly is a simple Google Sheets or an Excel worksheet would certainly do this for you. But if you don't want to do the digital route, a notebook or something on your notes app on your phone is quite good enough. The purpose here is to recognise patterns. You may discover that algae increased after the lighting period changed or that fish became stressed after filter maintenance.

[00:10:30] Good observation makes every other adjustment more effective. One thing to remember is that it's not necessary, in fact it's not advised, to change everything dramatically on the same day. Start with feeding. Measure the portion and reduce obvious excess. Then check your lighting timer. Then inspect the filter flow and surface movement. Complete your normal water change using a consistent method. Finally, observe the aquarium each day and record missing unusual.

[00:11:00] After that, give your aquarium time. Plants, algae and filtration do not respond instantly. Making another change every day creates more instability and makes it impossible to identify what helped. A healthy aquarium usually comes from a predictable routine rather than constant intervention. So let's quickly recap those again. Feast slightly less, distribute food more effectively. Keep the lighting period consistent. Improve gentle surface movement and circulation.

[00:11:30] Perform regular partial water changes and observe the aquarium before reaching for medication. Now I'm sure you'll agree with me that these changes are simple. But they do address many of the most common causes of poor aquarium health. Cleaner water, stable lighting, better oxygenation and earlier problem detection will usually do more for your fish than any other unnecessary product. Which of these five adjustments does your aquarium need right now? Share your answer in the comments. I hope that you have found this episode helpful.

[00:11:59] If you have, please go ahead and subscribe to the Acris Edge either here on YouTube, on the podcast app. Leave a review for us on the podcast app. Your support means that more freshwater acris can discover the podcast. And if you're finding that these episodes are of help to you, please can I ask that you would consider buying me a coffee. The link to do so is available on screen if you're watching on YouTube. And it will be in the show notes on both the podcast app and in the YouTube description. Folks, thanks again for your time.

[00:12:28] Really appreciate you spending time on this episode and with me each week. And so until we meet again for the next episode, keep learning, keep discovering, keep enjoying this amazing hobby. Bye for now. That's it for this episode of the Acris Edge. Please consider subscribing to this podcast so that you don't miss further episodes. We would love it if you would also rate and review the podcast as this helps make it visible to others. Until next time, keep learning and discovering and keep finding your Acris Edge

[00:12:58] in this captivating and fascinating hobby. Thank you. Thank you.